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Remembering Karl Menger Lecture and Awards 2011

The Department of Applied Mathematics at IIT hosted Peter Winkler, of Dartmouth College, as the 2011 Karl Menger Lecturer. His presentation, titled "Statistical Combinatorics," was about using combinatorial methods and graph theory in statistical physics. The Lecture, part of the fifth annual Karl Menger Lecture and Awards, was held April 4, 2011 on the Illinois Institute of Technology main campus.

Statistical physics is the study of global behavior resulting from interaction of many small particles. Combinatorics and graph theory have played a role in this subject from its very beginnings. In recent year, however, these areas have enjoyed a closer bond both in method and objectives, with some spectacular results. We will explain some of these results and how they came, then indicate some of the many intriguing questions that remain.

Peter Winkler is Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science, and Albert Bradley Third Century Professor in the Sciences, at Dartmouth College. His mathematical research is primarily in combinatorics, probability, statiscal physics, and the theory of computing, optical networking, marine navigation. He is the author of two collections of mathematical puzzles, a portifio of compositions for ragtime piano, and (just publised) a book on cryptologic mehtods in the game of bridge. Winkler is a past winner of the Lester R. Ford award for mathematical expostion, and just won the MAA's 2011 Robbins Prize for his part in a paper that solved the problem of how far a stack of bricks can be made to hang over the edge of a table.

Travel

Discounted Hotels for IIT visitors: [Older list] [Newer List] (Best Westerns are the best bet, followed by the Hyatt Regency McCormick)
Not on the lists: Club Quarters (2 locations downtown; must mention "Illinois Institute of Technology").

More About Karl Menger

Karl Menger was a faculty member in the Department of Mathematics at IIT from 1946-1971, and influenced many students, fellow faculty members, and friends during his lifetime. Regarded as one of the finest mathematicians of the 20th century, he made significant contributions to the fields of dimension theory, probability, economics, ethics, geometry, and calculus.